Display device.



0. L. SMITH.

DISPLAY DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1912. RENEWED on. 25. 1915.

1,161,901 Patented Nov. 30, 191 5. I j

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1- J A 6 /4 /5 4 j I I I I l I I I I I I I 0. L. SMITH.

DISPLAY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 20. I9l2. RENEWED OCT. 25. 1915.

' nnrrnn srn'rns' PATENT onnron.

osonn L.- SMITH, or GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

DISPLAY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Application filed January 20, 1912, Serial No. 672,384. Renewiad October 25, 1915. Serial No; 57,869

, T all whom it may concern the accompanymg Be it known that I, Oscar: L. SMITH, a

citizen of the. United States, residing at merchandise in stores and other places and more particularly to such devices-for exhib- .iting garments,

wherein such garments are supported by a rack which may be movableto and from aposition within ashow case.

important factor in store'exhibition,

' cular'path as it be readily acces- That the garments may protected, the

sible,"-and yet be properly.

show case is usually provided with one or Economy of floor space 'is an' so that doors of the usual type become obmore doors.

swinging jection'ab'le. Moreover, such old type of door, in addition to blocking the passageway between cases. when open, is" liable to in- "ury. In a prior application, Serial No. 664,753, filed by me December 9, 1911, there is shown, described and claimed a door construction for a show case, wherein the front or closing end of the door is connected to the case by swinging members which, in

addition to their swinging function, determinedthe movement of the front end of the door and confined-it to movement in a. ciris opened and closed, while the rear end of the door is supported upon guides extending into the case along the side thereof.

The aims and purposes of the present in; vention are to improve such door and provideamong other features means whereby,

. as the front 'end of the door is swung from.

and to closing position, the, rear end thereof .will be caused .out of the case in lation to the side to move properly into and substantially parallel reof the case, and the door when in open position be properly housed within the case into non-interfering relation with the garment supporting rack.

. The accompanying drawings show one form or embodiment of the invention, which in connection with the following description will make clear the salient features thereof, it being understood that the details tending from the -may be varied within its true scope which is definitely set-forth by the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of a show case provided with two doors which are of like character, some of the parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a detail showing how the rear end of the door is supported upon the floor of the case; Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on the line 33, Fig. 4; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the case and door showing by full lines the door in closed position and by dotted lines the char.- acteristic movement of the door as it moves from closed to full open position.

The showcase 1 may be of any approved or desired form, and as shown comprises the base 2 supporting a floor 3. The case is preferably formed of glass sides, back and top, as fully explained in said prior application. A rack 4 supported by suitable means, such, for instance, as the uprights 5,

is preferably movable to andfrom a position within the case in order that when at the two doors 6, 6 are shown, but one door may n certain instances be sufficient, and since both doors and their mountings are alike, a description of one will be sufiicient. The door 6 is preferably formed of a frame work, as shown, supporting a glass panel 7, but while this is a convenient form of structure it is notessential.

Secured to the bottom or floor 3 of the case is a socket plate 8, Figs. 1 and 3, having a recess or socket portion 9 for the pintle or pivot 10 of an arm 11 which is substantially one-half the length of the door between its front and rear ends, as indicated in Fig. 4. The free end of the arm 11 is connected to the front end of the door at 12, the connection being conveniently formed by a socket plate 13, Fig. 4, secured to the front end of the door and engaged pivotally by a pin exend of the arm 11. It is to be noted that the pivotal connection of the arm .11 with the floor 3 is at-the front of the caseand'at a point substantially midway between the front and rear endsof the no door, the construction being. such that as the front end of the door is swung outward from closed position as indicated in Fig. 4, the arm 11 will turn on its pivot 10 to cause the front end of thedoor to swing in the arc of a circle the center of which is at the front .of the case midway the length of the door.

tion from. that shown in Fig. 4 when the door is closed. A- similar arm 14 may be employed at th'e top of the. case and door, see Fig. 1, and such construction is desirable Where the door islarge-or heavy. The arm 14 when used is connected'to the framing at the top of the case at 15 in a mannersubstantially the same as that described for the connection of the arm 11 at the bottom, and the pivotal points 10 and 15'are in. vertical alinement. Likewise the free end of the arm 14 will be connected to the front end of the doorat 16 in a manner similar to the connection of the arm 11 to the lower part of the door at 12, and the pivotal points'12 and 16 will likewise be in vertical alinement. Secured to' the top and bottom of the case are the trackways 1'7, 17 which extend from front to rear of the case parallel to the sides .thereof. These trackways serve to guide the rear edge of. the door 'in'wa'rd parallel to the. case after such inward movement hasbeen "initiated, as will .p'resently' appear, and to this end are each engaged by a guide or roller 19, one at the top .and-on'e at thebottom of the door at the rear end'thereof, as

indicated in 'Figs'. 1, 2 and 4.

As hereinbefore stated, the front end of r the door'is supported by the arm 11 as it swings to and-from closed position, and such door support at the front end may be more or less augmented by the arm 14 at the top.

In order to support the rear .end of the door,

the latter at its rear end is provided with a swinging frame" 20 pivotally connected to. thelower rear end, such pivotal connection being conveniently made by the pin 21 sup- Ii ortmg the lower guide roller 19, Fig. 2.-'

he swinging frame 20 has anarm 22 through which passes the pin 21, and an upright flange 23' from which extend lugs or cars for supporting the roller 24 which travels in the lower trackway. 17. Secured to the rear end of the'door, as by screws 25, is

a bearing plate 26 jcurved, as .indicated in. Fig. 4, and having the vertical face27, Fig.

2, against which ears the flange 23 of the swinging frame. 20. The lower edge portion 28 of the curved bearing plate. 26 is engaged by and rests upon the arm" 22 of the e, as indicated in Fig.2, the 66 construction being such that as the rear end swinging irea the swinging frame 20 rides. along the bearing plate and'efi'e'ctively sustains the weight I of the door moves back and" forth in the case,

of the rear portion ofthe door, as will be readily understood fromFigs. 2 and 4-. Thus it will be noted'that while the. guide rollers 19 determine. the path of'movement of the rear end of the door byengagement with the trackways 17, the roller 24'traveling along the lowerjtrackway gives reliableand effective support'to the 'rear'iend of. the door ment with the bearing plate. Obviously,

through [the swinging-frame and its engagethe curvature of the bearing p1ate"26 is preferably and conveniently in the arc ofa circle,

the center of which is the'axis of swing of theswinging frame; but the essentials of the invention in this respect do not require strict adherence to this are of curvature, as'it might be varied somewhat.-

"Since the front, end of the door is confined. to movement in the arc of a circle, the center of which isat the pivot 10 of thearm 11, and since the 'rear end of 'thedoor is confined to movement in asubstantially straight line to and from the rear and along-the side of the case, difficulty is. liable-to be encoun tered. in. securing the desired directional movement of the rear end of.the. door when the front end of the "door starts from'and; approaches the closed position. In other words, when the front end .of' the 'door is moving in that part of its circular are remote from the side of the case, there is little and, similarly, in'starting to open the door by grasping "or moving its front end outward, there is little or no tendency for the rear end to start into the case in its straight path of movement. However, since the front end moves in a circular path and-the rearend moves in a straight path,- there isi a pomtbetween the front and rear ends of the door about which the door may be made to swing as on a I pivot, but such pivot will be a slnftlng pivot. The present invention takesadvantage of this fact in the provision of means to initiate rearward movement of the rear end of the door when the door starts from its closed position and to insurefro'nt.

ward movement of the rear end of the door.

when the front end is approaching closed position, with the result that'notwithstanding the factthat the front end of the door moves. in the are of a circle and substantially througha semi-circle during its opening and closing movements, and the rear end moves afstraight or substantially'straight. path Misnttothe circular arc, ymoves infits pr ribed'paths with' the door not only A tionand prevent proper closing movement; 4??? ease and without special attention on the side of the case, as indicated in Fig. 4. Co-

operating with this guideway is a part attached to the door, conveniently formed as a roller 31 sustained by an arm 32 secured to the inside lower frame piece of the door, Figs. 3 and 4. WVhile the parts described constitute a good practical form of this feature of the invention'which is intendedto initiate and finish the movement of the rear end ofthe door as the front end starts to open and completesits closing movements, respectively, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted thereto and that in form and relation these parts may vary from those shown and described as one embodiment of the invention. For instance, the flanges need not project from the plate 8, nor be formed thereon, nor need they extend above the plane of the floor, but the invention is inclusive of all such modifications the front end of the door is moving inthat part of its circular path under the action of the arm 11, that the rear end of the door is readily forced to move in its rectilinear path without the aid of the guideway 30 and roller 31.

Let it be assumed that the door is closed, as indicated by full lines Fig. 4, and is desired to be opened. The operator draws the front end of the door outward and the arm 11. defines its outward. movement as in the arc of a. circle. The rear end, that is the left, Fig. 4, cannot move to the left at such time owing to the guide-way 17 and guide roller 19, so that in the absence of any means to start the rear end of the door into the cabinet, the door would bind and require that its rear or left end be pushed inward in order to open the door at all, but since th guideway 33 and roller or pin 31 confine movement of the door between its ends to a pivotal shifting movement, the rear end of the door is compelled to start movement in a direction generally opposite to that of the front end and toward the rear of the case as defined by the guideway 33 and roller 31, the parts then assuming positions as indicated by the dotted lines-a, Fig.4. As

opening movement of the door continues, the roller 31 and guideway 33 continue to direct the movement of the rear end of the door into the case until the movement of the front end of the door, as determined by the arm 11, has reached that part of its. circular path that insures that the rear end of the door shall move into the case, where-' upon the guideway 33 and roller 31 become disengaged, and the rear end of the door is then guided by the trackways 17. The door may then be moved successively into the dotted line 1) position and finally be completely opened, at which time it will be housed within the case sufficiently to not obstruct the aisle between cases or interfere with rack movement, the arm 11, at such time, being in position as in Fig. 1. It may be noted that the length of the door is or may be substantially the diameter of the circle formed by movement of the front end of the door, and that the path of movement of the rear end of the door is tangent to the circle. As the door is opened the front end swings back through the arc of a circle and the rear end travels in a straight path toward the'front. hen the front end ap 'proaches closed position, the guideway 33 and rolls 31 engage and, by their shifting pivotal relation in reverse order to that described, insure that the rear end of the door shall continue to move to the front of the case and complete its closing movement as the front end of the door reaches closed position. During opening movement of the door, the roller 31 travels in the path indicated by the arrow lines in Fig. 4, and on closingmovement it travels in the reverse direction.

From the construction described as one form of the invention, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the guiding connection between the case and the door intermediate its ends may be variously formed to insure rectilinear movement of the rear end of the door as the front end moves in that part of its circular path near its closed position where such movement has little or no tendency to move the rear end of the door either into or out of the case in a straight path. It will also be noted that when this guiding device is in control, the guides 17 and their cooperating rollers 19 do not determine the path of movement. of the rear end of the door, and, similarly, when the guides 17 and rollers 19 are in control, the

. opening and closing movement of the door,

connections between the case and the rear end of the door to direct movement of the rear end in a straight line, and detachable groove and pin connections between the case and door intermediate its ends constituting a movable fulcrum for the door to permit the rear end of the door to move inward of the case when the front end of the door is moved from closed to open position, said groove and pin being automatically disengaged as the door is swung to open position.

2. The combination of a case having sides and rear wall and an open front, a door for closing the open front, guiding devices between the rear end ofthe door and case, means connecting the front end of the door ,with the case to cause the front end of the door to move in a circular path as the door is opened and closed, and disengaging positive guiding connections between the case and door intermediate the ends of the door to direct the movement of the rear end of the door into the case as the front end of the door is swung outward, said connections becoming disengaged as the door is swung to open position.

3, The combination of a case, a horizontally movable door for closing said case, means for supporting the front end of the door and to cause said front end to move in a circular path as the door is opened and closed, positive guiding devices between the rear end of the door and the case acting to direct the rear end in a straight line into and out of the case during a part of the opening and closing movement of the door, and guiding devices between the case and door intermediate the ends of the latter forming amovable fulcrum for the door as it is opened and closed, said guiding devices becoming,automatically. disengaged as the door is opened and automatically engaged as the door is closed.

4. A case having a horizontally movable door connections between the front end of the door and the case for causing said front end to move in the arc of a circle during opening and closing movements of the door,

engaging guiding connections between the rear end of the door and the case, and means between the door and case arranged intermediate the front and rear ends of the door and constituting a shifting fulcrum for the door as it is swung from'closed toward open position, the parts of said fulcrum becoming automatically disengaged as the door is moved to open position to permit the entire door to move inward at the side of the case.

5. The combination of a case having a horizontally movable door, an arm pivoted to the case and connected to the front end of the door to cause the frontend to move in a circular path, and means between the case and door and lntermedlate the front and rear ends of the door for insuring move- 1 door to cause said front end to travel in substantially a semi-circular path from its closed to its open position at the side of the case, connections between the case and door intermediate the ends of the latter, said connections comprising a projection on one part and a flange on the other adapted to be disengaged automatically as the door is moved from closed to open position, and guiding devices between the rear end of the door and case to direct the rear end of the door to the back of the case.

7. The combination of a case having a horizontally movable door, a swinging arm connecting the case to the front end of the door to cause said front end to travel in substantially a semi-circular path from its closed to its open position at the side of the case, connections between the case and door intermediate the ends of the latter to direct the rear end of the door into the case as the door is moved from closed toward open position and to be then disengaged to permit the door to move bodily toward the side of the case, guiding devices between the door and case to direct the rear end of the door to the back of the case after its inward movement has been started, and means for supporting the rear end of the door.

8. The combination of a case having a horizontally movable door, a swinging arm connecting the case to the front end-of the door to cause said front end to travel in substantially a semi-circular 'path from its closed to its open position at the side of the case, connections between the case and door intermediate the ends of the latter forming a shifting fulcrum to direct the rear end of the door into the case as the front end is moved outward, said connections comprising a guideway on one and a device on the other to detachably engage said guideway,

case to direct the .rear end of the door to guiding devices at. the rear of the door and the back of the case. a p p 1 at the side of the case or cabinet for guiding 9. The'combination of a case or cabinet, a and supporting the rear-portion of the door, door, movable in a horizontal plane for, openpivotally' mounted arms connecting the front 5 ing and closing the case or cabinet, guid-. edge of the door with the case or cabinet, 211 ing devices at the rear of the doorand at a shifting pivot 'for the door intermediate the sideof the case or cabinet for guiding the two ends of the door, said shifting pivot and supporting the rear portion of the door, comprising a guide extending at an angle pivotally mounted arms. connecting the to the front of the cabinet anda projection 10 front edge of the door'with the case or cabion the door adapted toengage and disen- 30 net, a shifting pivot for the door intermegage said guide as the door is closedand' diate the two ends of the door, said shifting opened.

pivot comprising an open guide and pro- In testimony whereof, I have signed my jection, one on the case "or cabinet and the name to this specification, in thepresence of 15 other on-the door, adapted to be disengaged two subscribing Witnesses. 4 as the door is opened and to becomeeIi- K OSCARL gaged as the door 1s closed. I

10. The combination of a case or cabinet, Witnesses: a door movable in a horizontal plane for WARREN ONEIL,

v 20 opening and closing the case or cabinet, AMELIA M. Ross. 

